there’s nothing wrong with being the
underdog so long as you come out on top
in the end
hi I’m Ireland welcome to watchmojo.com
and today we’re counting down our picks
for the top 10 movies that exceeded
expectations
you got a purty mouth for this list
we’ve chosen films that did far better
than we originally anticipated
based on a mix of their box office
numbers critical reception and accolades
oh well that’s just as fascinating as
the first 89 times you told me that
number 10 star trek your captain now mr.
cook with 2009 being a year for
countless anticipated box-office Giants
including the sixth Terry Potter and
James Cameron’s Avatar there just wasn’t
enough hype room despite heavy
promotional efforts or relative
big-screen newcomer JJ Abrams with the
Star Trek reboot being only his second
director credit Kirk how the hell did
you get on board the enterprise what’s
more with Star Trek’s film franchise
heading a peculiar pattern for poor
reception on its odd-numbered movies the
fact that this was number 11 in the
series wasn’t much of a help III don’t
know you I am a spark
bullshit still Abrams boldly and
successfully took us where no man has
gone before
in this back-to-basics tale with stellar
effects good acting higher stakes and
lots of flair lens flare that is he’s
work paid off big time will be my honor
commander number nine Pirates of the
Caribbean the curse of the Black Pearl
when did you get back the fact that this
fantasy flick is based on the classic
Disney theme park attraction of the same
name had even the mouse’s most faithful
fans skeptical especially since said
film would be the beloved family driven
company’s first pg-13 release well well
Jack Sparrow isn’t Captain Jack’s that
skepticism did not go unpunished
when audiences checked out the dramatic
and haunting story of the black pearls
crew welcome aboard the Black
moreover the film gave Johnny Depp his
first oscar-nominated role as cinemas
most adored and charismatic pirate whose
misadventure spawned an entire franchise
in the form of multiple explosive
sequels not sure I deserve but more
importantly Hollywood’s faith in what
was considered a cursed Shara was
restored
you best start reading the ghost stories
is turner your n1 number 8 Rise of the
Planet of the Apes
yet another sci-fi reboot serving as a
second directorial endeavor on our list
the announcement of this attempt had
film buffs and pop culture lists alike
thinkin that Hollywood had sunk to a new
low
with its monkeying around swapping
practical costumes for equally
believable CGI plus another potent
portrayal from Andy Serkis via motion
capture director Rupert Wyatt put up
quite the revolutionary fight to rise
above the cynicism his battle paid off
greatly with the film garnering
virtually universal praise and nearly
half a billion dollars in box office
numbers making it the franchise’s
biggest gross until the release of the
film’s sequel
number seven World War Z based on the
novel by Max Brooks this film was
considered a late entry to the zombie
apocalypse V spark despite promising
trailers and the fact that Hollywood
heartthrob Brad Pitt was in the starring
role the action horror movies marketing
failed to amp up the – was hoping to
generate with some predicting a flop due
to the film’s blockbuster budget
instead audiences were treated to a
thrill ride we’re a solid hero journey
through a global pandemic setting
it was this unexpected edge-of-your-seat
execution that made World War Z not only
well-received at the box office but kept
the pulse of the zombie genre alive and
running just a little bit longer
number six The Hangover you guys might
not know this but I consider myself a
bit of a loner despite rising comic
stars Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis his
name’s attached to the project the
film’s release came at a time when
comedy was finding success again on the
stand-up stage rather than on the silver
screen four of us wolves running around
the desert together in Las Vegas looking
for strippers and cocaine
hence The Hangover took audiences and
critics by surprise as it was expected
to be an hour and a half of standard
drunk high and fart jokes instead bubi
goers got their money’s worth with an
actual story filled with hilarious
dubious characters and clever setups can
you say a dentist with a missing tooth
and one haven’t seen tooth in terms of
American box office records it became
the third highest-grossing r-rated film
of all time as well as the second
highest in the comedy genre
in other words forget everything number
5 Slumdog Millionaire welcome to who
wants to be
are you ready based on the novel Q&A by
Vikas Swarup it’s appropriate that this
underdog story has found its way onto
our list so why don’t you save us both a
lot of time and tell me how you cheated
a rags to riches tale involving a Who
Wants to Be a Millionaire contestant
accused of cheating Jamal Malik story
was widely praised and marketed as a
feel-good film of the decade for its
well paced relatable characters and
appealing plot so it could be be Vicky
punting OD Jack Hobbs final answer not
only was the film an ultra success with
its 378 million worldwide gross at a 15
million dollar budget but it was
additionally the strongest trophy realer
at the 81st Academy Awards taking home a
total of 8 including Best Picture Best
Director and Best Adapted Screenplay I
was right the chai wallah has done it
again
number four 21 Jump Street down on Jump
Street 37 Jump Street no it doesn’t
sound right
based on the 1987 television series 21
Jump Street was that police themed youth
show that any pop culture fanatic could
predict was bound for a bad Hollywood
take you will be going undercover as
high school students you are here simply
because you look young in one of its
most praiseworthy adaptations Hollywood
silenced skeptics with a fun story fun
dialogue and funnier performances in
this action comedy brought to us by the
way of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Fame as well as charismatic stars Jonah
Hill and Channing Tatum don’t make me
take you to the principal’s office
grossing a little over five times its
budget the film was picked up not only
for an equally successful sequel but
also for a potential crossover project
with another one of Columbia’s most
famous and well beloved government
authorities known for their black suits
as a junk G yeah yeah
that’s funny because we were actually
Jump Street I played three Jump Street
is also in the works you two sons of
bitches are going to college number
three Casino Royale
the names bond James Bond
same spine same name new guy new game
with the franchise’s previous three
films not living up to the reputation of
mi6 his most badass agent fans and
critics alike just didn’t know what to
expect with yet another film loaded with
stock stunts car crashes and explosions
we’ve all gotten accustomed to see
double-oh-seven or not replacing Pierce
Brosnan as the world’s most famous spy
newcomer Daniel Craig and veteran
director of Goldeneye Martin Campbell
unexpectedly restored bond to the glory
days of such predecessors as Sean
Connery and Timothy Dalton introducing
audiences to a more contemporary and
relatable timeline as well as a newly
promoted double oh you noticed number
two
Batman Begins with the Caped Crusader’s
previous film being as childish and
cheesy as it was notoriously bad DC fans
and film buffs alike just weren’t
excited with the announcement of yet
another soon to be horrible adaptation
of one of comic-book history’s most full
of two superheroes humor you Bruce Wayne
the Prince of Gotham you’d have to go a
thousand miles to meet someone who
didn’t know your name so don’t don’t
come down here with the Ranga what they
received instead was a masterful
incarnation from the relative newcomer
Christopher Nolan who took the bat by
the wings and stretched them out to soar
with grand storytelling stimulating
themes and the return to darker visuals
do you coming back to go from Filosa
long as it takes I’m gonna show the
people of Gotham their city doesn’t
belong to the criminals in the correct
the film not only went on to become a
box-office success but respond to the
Dark Knight as a glorified household
name shadowed by two
enticing sequels that made it part of
cinema’s greatest trilogies this is what
happens when an unstoppable force meets
an immovable object before we unveil our
favorite unfavorite pic here are a few
honorable mentions Oh Gretchen stop
trying to make fetch happen it’s not
going to happen oh my gosh my hands are
stuck my legs are stuck as well I super
eight
faded and I feel relaxed and I’m ready
to partay yeah when that bass stop ma’am
number one district nine lake happened
to you from the infant’s of district
nine originally greenlit as a halo film
producer Peter Jackson and director
Neill Blomkamp sought to use the
existing props and set pieces of the
adaptation for a new project
after financing was deterred what
emerged was the sci-fi sleeper hit
district 9 derogatory term porn is used
for the alien and obviously it implies
something that is a bottom-feeder that
scavengers the leftovers dependent on
visual marketing as well as its
stylistic humans only adds the film
retained a minimal presence in
campaigning during its pre theatrical
release time however during its run
millions were treated to a visually
alluring escape that tackled the serious
earthly themes of xenophobia social
apartheid and cultural ignorance say I
want to kill me
a feat which garnered it not only high
box office numbers but also for Oscar
nominations including Best Adapted
Screenplay and Best Picture do you agree
with our list and hey shut my mouth look
at me unbelievable which films mega
success took you by surprise we’re not
doing a good enough job we can do better
we’re gonna do something else like one
for more top tens exceeding your
expectations published every day be sure
to subscribe to watchmojo.com you call
us a favor
yeah
you
underdog so long as you come out on top
in the end
hi I’m Ireland welcome to watchmojo.com
and today we’re counting down our picks
for the top 10 movies that exceeded
expectations
you got a purty mouth for this list
we’ve chosen films that did far better
than we originally anticipated
based on a mix of their box office
numbers critical reception and accolades
oh well that’s just as fascinating as
the first 89 times you told me that
number 10 star trek your captain now mr.
cook with 2009 being a year for
countless anticipated box-office Giants
including the sixth Terry Potter and
James Cameron’s Avatar there just wasn’t
enough hype room despite heavy
promotional efforts or relative
big-screen newcomer JJ Abrams with the
Star Trek reboot being only his second
director credit Kirk how the hell did
you get on board the enterprise what’s
more with Star Trek’s film franchise
heading a peculiar pattern for poor
reception on its odd-numbered movies the
fact that this was number 11 in the
series wasn’t much of a help III don’t
know you I am a spark
bullshit still Abrams boldly and
successfully took us where no man has
gone before
in this back-to-basics tale with stellar
effects good acting higher stakes and
lots of flair lens flare that is he’s
work paid off big time will be my honor
commander number nine Pirates of the
Caribbean the curse of the Black Pearl
when did you get back the fact that this
fantasy flick is based on the classic
Disney theme park attraction of the same
name had even the mouse’s most faithful
fans skeptical especially since said
film would be the beloved family driven
company’s first pg-13 release well well
Jack Sparrow isn’t Captain Jack’s that
skepticism did not go unpunished
when audiences checked out the dramatic
and haunting story of the black pearls
crew welcome aboard the Black
moreover the film gave Johnny Depp his
first oscar-nominated role as cinemas
most adored and charismatic pirate whose
misadventure spawned an entire franchise
in the form of multiple explosive
sequels not sure I deserve but more
importantly Hollywood’s faith in what
was considered a cursed Shara was
restored
you best start reading the ghost stories
is turner your n1 number 8 Rise of the
Planet of the Apes
yet another sci-fi reboot serving as a
second directorial endeavor on our list
the announcement of this attempt had
film buffs and pop culture lists alike
thinkin that Hollywood had sunk to a new
low
with its monkeying around swapping
practical costumes for equally
believable CGI plus another potent
portrayal from Andy Serkis via motion
capture director Rupert Wyatt put up
quite the revolutionary fight to rise
above the cynicism his battle paid off
greatly with the film garnering
virtually universal praise and nearly
half a billion dollars in box office
numbers making it the franchise’s
biggest gross until the release of the
film’s sequel
number seven World War Z based on the
novel by Max Brooks this film was
considered a late entry to the zombie
apocalypse V spark despite promising
trailers and the fact that Hollywood
heartthrob Brad Pitt was in the starring
role the action horror movies marketing
failed to amp up the – was hoping to
generate with some predicting a flop due
to the film’s blockbuster budget
instead audiences were treated to a
thrill ride we’re a solid hero journey
through a global pandemic setting
it was this unexpected edge-of-your-seat
execution that made World War Z not only
well-received at the box office but kept
the pulse of the zombie genre alive and
running just a little bit longer
number six The Hangover you guys might
not know this but I consider myself a
bit of a loner despite rising comic
stars Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis his
name’s attached to the project the
film’s release came at a time when
comedy was finding success again on the
stand-up stage rather than on the silver
screen four of us wolves running around
the desert together in Las Vegas looking
for strippers and cocaine
hence The Hangover took audiences and
critics by surprise as it was expected
to be an hour and a half of standard
drunk high and fart jokes instead bubi
goers got their money’s worth with an
actual story filled with hilarious
dubious characters and clever setups can
you say a dentist with a missing tooth
and one haven’t seen tooth in terms of
American box office records it became
the third highest-grossing r-rated film
of all time as well as the second
highest in the comedy genre
in other words forget everything number
5 Slumdog Millionaire welcome to who
wants to be
are you ready based on the novel Q&A by
Vikas Swarup it’s appropriate that this
underdog story has found its way onto
our list so why don’t you save us both a
lot of time and tell me how you cheated
a rags to riches tale involving a Who
Wants to Be a Millionaire contestant
accused of cheating Jamal Malik story
was widely praised and marketed as a
feel-good film of the decade for its
well paced relatable characters and
appealing plot so it could be be Vicky
punting OD Jack Hobbs final answer not
only was the film an ultra success with
its 378 million worldwide gross at a 15
million dollar budget but it was
additionally the strongest trophy realer
at the 81st Academy Awards taking home a
total of 8 including Best Picture Best
Director and Best Adapted Screenplay I
was right the chai wallah has done it
again
number four 21 Jump Street down on Jump
Street 37 Jump Street no it doesn’t
sound right
based on the 1987 television series 21
Jump Street was that police themed youth
show that any pop culture fanatic could
predict was bound for a bad Hollywood
take you will be going undercover as
high school students you are here simply
because you look young in one of its
most praiseworthy adaptations Hollywood
silenced skeptics with a fun story fun
dialogue and funnier performances in
this action comedy brought to us by the
way of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Fame as well as charismatic stars Jonah
Hill and Channing Tatum don’t make me
take you to the principal’s office
grossing a little over five times its
budget the film was picked up not only
for an equally successful sequel but
also for a potential crossover project
with another one of Columbia’s most
famous and well beloved government
authorities known for their black suits
as a junk G yeah yeah
that’s funny because we were actually
Jump Street I played three Jump Street
is also in the works you two sons of
bitches are going to college number
three Casino Royale
the names bond James Bond
same spine same name new guy new game
with the franchise’s previous three
films not living up to the reputation of
mi6 his most badass agent fans and
critics alike just didn’t know what to
expect with yet another film loaded with
stock stunts car crashes and explosions
we’ve all gotten accustomed to see
double-oh-seven or not replacing Pierce
Brosnan as the world’s most famous spy
newcomer Daniel Craig and veteran
director of Goldeneye Martin Campbell
unexpectedly restored bond to the glory
days of such predecessors as Sean
Connery and Timothy Dalton introducing
audiences to a more contemporary and
relatable timeline as well as a newly
promoted double oh you noticed number
two
Batman Begins with the Caped Crusader’s
previous film being as childish and
cheesy as it was notoriously bad DC fans
and film buffs alike just weren’t
excited with the announcement of yet
another soon to be horrible adaptation
of one of comic-book history’s most full
of two superheroes humor you Bruce Wayne
the Prince of Gotham you’d have to go a
thousand miles to meet someone who
didn’t know your name so don’t don’t
come down here with the Ranga what they
received instead was a masterful
incarnation from the relative newcomer
Christopher Nolan who took the bat by
the wings and stretched them out to soar
with grand storytelling stimulating
themes and the return to darker visuals
do you coming back to go from Filosa
long as it takes I’m gonna show the
people of Gotham their city doesn’t
belong to the criminals in the correct
the film not only went on to become a
box-office success but respond to the
Dark Knight as a glorified household
name shadowed by two
enticing sequels that made it part of
cinema’s greatest trilogies this is what
happens when an unstoppable force meets
an immovable object before we unveil our
favorite unfavorite pic here are a few
honorable mentions Oh Gretchen stop
trying to make fetch happen it’s not
going to happen oh my gosh my hands are
stuck my legs are stuck as well I super
eight
faded and I feel relaxed and I’m ready
to partay yeah when that bass stop ma’am
number one district nine lake happened
to you from the infant’s of district
nine originally greenlit as a halo film
producer Peter Jackson and director
Neill Blomkamp sought to use the
existing props and set pieces of the
adaptation for a new project
after financing was deterred what
emerged was the sci-fi sleeper hit
district 9 derogatory term porn is used
for the alien and obviously it implies
something that is a bottom-feeder that
scavengers the leftovers dependent on
visual marketing as well as its
stylistic humans only adds the film
retained a minimal presence in
campaigning during its pre theatrical
release time however during its run
millions were treated to a visually
alluring escape that tackled the serious
earthly themes of xenophobia social
apartheid and cultural ignorance say I
want to kill me
a feat which garnered it not only high
box office numbers but also for Oscar
nominations including Best Adapted
Screenplay and Best Picture do you agree
with our list and hey shut my mouth look
at me unbelievable which films mega
success took you by surprise we’re not
doing a good enough job we can do better
we’re gonna do something else like one
for more top tens exceeding your
expectations published every day be sure
to subscribe to watchmojo.com you call
us a favor
yeah
you
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